REU Site: Weather, Climate, and Society: An Interdisciplinary approach integrating physical and social sciences

University Of South Florida, Tampa FL

Investigators

Abstract

This 9-week summer REU program focuses on engaging under-represented students (with a particular emphasis on rising sophomores) in interdisciplinary research related to weather, climate, and society (WCS) and their physical and social interactions. The pedagogical approach, which incorporates a myriad of learning opportunities, will enhance the experience of participants and facilitate their development of scientific skills. The development of knowledge/skills will encourage students to enter STEM fields, particularly related to atmospheric sciences or a related discipline, and prepare them for basic and applied research at upper levels and later in graduate school. Research projects will have the potential to directly benefit disaster-vulnerable communities in Florida and other extreme weather affected areas. USF's WCS REU will continue to be a model for interdisciplinary-based research performed by students through dissemination of project results and presentations by REU students and faculty at local (USF and their home institutions), regional, and national conferences. The program will draw from an interdisciplinary panel of mentors, and is designed to achieve these objectives: 1) Deliver an intensive research experience for 10 students/year with an emphasis on under-represented groups; 2) Provide participants with research experiences to aid their recruitment into a STEM undergraduate major, particularly the atmospheric sciences or a related discipline, and graduate programs; 3) Promote participants’ skill development through a program of mentored research (which follows a project from conception to dissemination of results), experiential learning, professional development workshops, seminars that offer interaction with national and international scientists, trainings in social and physical research techniques and interdisciplinary perspectives on the social and physical aspects and impacts of severe weather and climate and related disasters; 4) Increase awareness of ethical issues related to working with scientific data and communicating the results; and 5) Provide students access to a mentoring network that will support them throughout their career. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.